


The Blade and The Shield.

by MischiefsPrincess



Category: Blade (Movie Series), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, First Times, sick, vampire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 12:25:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17662610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MischiefsPrincess/pseuds/MischiefsPrincess
Summary: “I’ve never seen anything so small… so innocent… so fragile…” The Winter Soldier said as tears welled up in his eyes. In that moment James Buchanan Barns vowed that he would protect Dawn with his life as any good uncle would.





	The Blade and The Shield.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction on this site, hope you enjoy. Polite and helpful comments are appreciated.

Dawn had been born on a crisp Tuesday morning in August. Steve was in love with her the moment he laid eyes on her. Unfortunately the day his baby girl was born was both the best, and the worst, day of his life. His wife suffered from a heart defect and the birth of their daughter had been too much for it to take. Steve sat there holding dawn, alone. He turned his head when he heard a familiar voice.  
“Hey, Stevie.” Bucky said in a somber tone before sitting down beside his friend. “She is beautiful.” Bucky mused.   
“Yeah she is, do you want to hold her?” Steve offered and Bucky grew nervous.  
“Are you sure? I’ve never held a baby before.” Steve smiled as he started to hand her over.  
“Just be gently and cradle her head.” Bucky took the infant into his arms and stared down at her.  
“I’ve never seen anything so small… so innocent… so fragile…” The Winter Soldier said as tears welled up in his eyes. In that moment James Buchanan Barns vowed that he would protect Dawn with his life as any good uncle would. 

16 years later Bucky found that he couldn’t protect Dawn from everything. Dawn had the same heart defect as her mother, only worse. They had prayed that the serum would protect her from this fate, but no such luck. Bruce explained that the serum hadn’t worked on her because it was not apart of Steve’s original gene structure. Dawn was constantly in and out of the hospital until a freezing cold December, afternoon.  
“What do you mean inoperable?” Bucky shouted in the doctor’s face.  
“Bucky calm down, they are doing the best they can.” Steve choked out sadly and grabbed his best friend’s hand, pulling him back.   
“Captain Rogers, Mr. Barns, I’m so sorry. I think it’s best that you talk about this with Dawn and go over her arrangements with her.” The Doctor sighed. The two collected themselves before going to get Dawn from the waiting room. Dawn sat there reading some book on Russian folklore that Natasha had given her.   
“Hey sweetheart.” Steve said quietly as she stood up.  
“What did he say?” the girl wondered and bit her lip.  
“We’ll talk about it at home, ok?” She nodded, knowing it wasn’t good news. They went home and sat Dawn down.   
“Dawn it’s not good…It’s gotten worse and there is nothing they can do.” Steve told her as he held her close. She sobbed into his arms.  
“How… How long do I have?” She questioned in between gulps of air. Bucky’s heart broke as those words fell from his niece’s lips.  
“Months…. Maybe a year.” Steve told her as his voice cracked. The three of them stayed like this for most of the night, crying and holding each other, talking about how they were going to break the news to the rest of the team. The following morning Steve made breakfast while Bucky and Dawn sat in silence at the table.   
“I don’t want to be buried, I don’t want to just rot away in some box in the ground.” Dawn said out of nowhere and the two looked at her.  
“Ok, what do you want?” Bucky wondered.  
“I want to be cremated and poured into the harbor.” She admitted with a far off look in her eyes.  
“Ok.” Steve said quietly, trying not to cry. After eating Steve and Bucky had to go a briefing. Steve kissed Dawn’s forehead softly before grabbing his notebook.  
“I love you, don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”   
“Same goes for me Sugarplum.” Bucky said and hugged her. They left and there Dawn sat pondering her own mortality. It was something she laid awake thinking about most nights. She thought about how she would leave her friends and family behind. Tears rolled down her face and she wiped them away immediately. Dawn wanted to talk to someone, anyone. She considered texting Peter, but she wasn’t quite ready to upset him with the bad news. After contemplating for a while she did text him, but decided she wouldn’t break it to him just yet.

Dawn: Hey Pete.  
Peter: Hey, how did your appointment go yesterday?  
Dawn: It went fine, are you busy?  
Peter: No, want to hang?  
Dawn: Of course.  
Peter: K, give me 20.

Peter swung over to the tower and crawled in through the window. Dawn plastered on a smile and tried to make lasting memories with her best friend.  
“Peter?” She asked as they laid on the roof of the tower, looking up at the blue sky.  
“Yeah, D?”  
“Do you ever think about…?... never mind.” She sighed.  
“About what?” Peter was starting to worry.  
“Do you ever think about what’s next after…. you know… we kick the bucket?” She inquired cautiously.  
“Now and then. Sometimes I think about how Aunt May would deal with everything. Why?” He cocked an eyebrow in concern and confusion.  
“I lied about the appointment yesterday, they are saying that I have months… maybe a year if I’m lucky.” She confessed, feeling new tears form. Peter sat there in shock and horror, tears building up behind his eyes as well.   
“No…. that’s not…. there has to be something they can do.” He whimpered.  
“No, it’s inoperable.” Peter hugged her and they cried.   
“I don’t know what I’ll do without you.” His breath hitches loudly in her ear.   
“Help me make a bucket list.” She requested.  
“Ok, what do you want to do?” He wondered.  
“Drink a beer, go skinny dipping, smoke a cigarette, go on a real date.” She confessed, blushing, feeling guilty for wanting to do things a good girl shouldn’t. Peter chuckled slightly and smiled.   
“Well I don’t know about the beer and smoking… that might not be the best idea…. but I could most definitely find a mile long line of guys to go out with you, and Mr. Stark does have an indoor pool.” 

Steve had noticed that Dawn was spending a lot more time on the internet lately. He tried to sneak peeks over her shoulder and he finally saw something. She was in some online support group. Steve was happy she had someone to talk to, but he wished it wasn’t a bunch of strangers.  
“Sweetheart you know if you ever need to talk we’re here.” Steve told her.  
“I know, is this about the support group?” She questioned.  
“Well, I’m glad you’re talk about it with someone, I just don’t know if it’s a good idea to talk to strangers online about it.” He said softly.  
“I know, but they understand what I’m going through. They understand what this feels like.” Dawn explained.   
“How are you feeling, emotionally?” Steve inquired and grabbed her hand.  
“Sad, angry, scared, and confused.” She sighed. “I suppose that’s normal.” She thought aloud.  
“Baby nothing about this situation is normal, a parent is never supposed to outlive their child.” Steve told her and rested his forehead against her shoulder. That night Steve and Bucky went out on a mission with the rest of the team and Peter came over.   
“Ready to cross something off of your list?” Peter questioned, holding a couple towels. Nervous excitement jolted through Dawn as she got up. They went down to Tony’s pool and had Jarvis cover the windows.  
“Are you sure about this? What if they come back early?” Dawn wondered and bit her lip.  
“They won’t, they are scheduled to be out the rest of the night, come on, it’ll be fun.” Peter reassured her.   
“Ok, let’s do this.” They pulled off their shirts first, then their jeans. Peter slipped his boxers off and got in the water. Dawn’s heart was pounding as she peeled off her underwear and stepped into the pool. Her face flushed when Peter’s eyes flashed to her chest.  
“Sorry.” Peter apologized and quickly averted his gaze.  
“It’s fine, you can look.” She permitted and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know there is something else on my list that I wouldn’t mind crossing off.” She added and her eyelashes fluttered.   
“If you really want to, but I don’t have any protection.” He confessed.  
“No, but I guarantee Tony does.” She grinned. They broke into Tony’s room and found what they were looking for.   
“Hey Jarvis, If you could not mention this to Tony, that would be amazing.” Dawn pleaded.  
“Think of it as my gift to you Miss Rogers and Mr. Parker.” The A.I. offered.  
“Thanks, J.” Peter and Dawn went up to her room and Jarvis put on some mood music.  
“If at anytime you feel uncomfortable, let me know and we’ll stop.” The experience was uncomfortable and awkward at first, but after some time, Dawn was in a complete state of bliss. She had even let an ‘I love you’ slip out at one point. This didn’t change anything between them, they were still just friends, this was just an item crossed off her list. By the time she woke up the following morning Peter was gone, and she was once again alone. Her phone buzzed and she expected it to be Peter or her dad, but it wasn’t, it was someone from her support group.

Anonymous: It doesn’t have to end this way, I can help you, meet me on 14th Street at 3.

Dawn stared at the phone, she couldn’t believe what she was reading. She knew in her heart it was a scam, but she was desperate. Around 3 that afternoon Dawn threw on some clothes and walked to the door, past the entire team.  
“Hey kiddo, where are you going?” Steve asked as he looked up from his sketchbook.  
“I’m meeting up with Peter, we’re going to catch a movie.” Dawn lied and grabbed her coat.  
“Hey Dawn.” She heard Natasha say in a wavering voice, a voice she’d never heard Natasha use.  
“Yeah?” All of the sudden Natasha jumped up and hugged her, which was very uncharacteristic.  
“I’m so sorry.” The spy sobbed. Dawn sniffled and held back tears.  
“I’ll see you later.” That was all Dawn could say, she was done crying and she was done watching the people she loved cry. Dawn eventually reached 14th street and saw a pale looking woman, waiting and watching.  
“Are you the one that contacted me?” She questioned, approaching her slowly.  
“Yeah, names Danica.” She told her and offered her hand, Dawn grasped it. Dawn gasped when their skin made contact the woman was ice cold. Danica smiled and that’s when she noticed the fangs poking through her thin pink lips.  
“You’re a….a..”  
“A vampire.” Danica interrupted. “This is what you’re looking for isn’t it? A second chance? A saving grace?”   
“What do I have to do? What’s the catch?” Dawn demanded.  
“You just have to work for me for a couple months, then I’ll turn you, that’s all.” Danica explained.   
“What kind of work? I assume I wouldn’t be answering phones or going on coffee runs.”   
“Feeding me, bringing me blood bags, or letting me drink your blood.” Danica told her. Dawn agreed and Danica gave her a tattoo, she said it was a mark of ownership. Dawn hated the thought of being owned by anyone, but she needed this, not just for her self but also for her family and her friends. The tattoo was placed on the left side of her torso, hopefully where no one would notice. A few days later Dawn and Peter were relaxing after a bit of fun.   
“I’m not sure we should be doing this, I’m worried about your heart.” Peter confessed while catching his breath.  
“You’re not going to give me a heart attack, don’t flatter yourself Parker.” She joked and giggled.   
“D, I’m being serious, you shouldn’t be doing anything too strenuous.” Peter said.   
“Funny, you weren’t complaining earlier.” Dawn scoffed.   
“Dawn I care about you, I’m only saying this because I care.” Peter informed her.  
“Can we please not talk about this? I just want to get some rest.” Dawn growled.  
“Ok, I’m sorry.” Peter huffed and turned away from her. “Nice ink by the way.” He added.  
“Just another item off the list.” She sighed. Peter sat up and jerked around to face her.  
“Is that all this is to you? Just some item off your list?” Peter barked.  
“Yes, I said that from the beginning Pete! We’re just friends, that sleep together now and then.” Dawn reasoned.  
“Not to me it’s not, Dawn it’s so much more to me! I love you, I always have, and in a few months you won’t be here anymore.” He cried. “And I have to find some way to keep living.” Peter hissed. “It’s so much more to me.” He added and begun to gather up his clothes. Peter slammed her bedroom door on the way out, alerting Steve that he was there. Dawn threw on her robe and followed after him.  
“You can’t do this to me Peter! You can’t just say something like that and leave!” She screamed and Steve looked at them in complete and total confusion.  
“You can’t just say that what we did meant nothing to you! I made love to you, that’s what that was! I gave you everything just for you to throw it back in my face!” He yelled.  
“Hey, both of you need to calm down, sit down, and work this out!” Steve ordered in a booming voice and they both sat down in record time. Steve stood there with crossed arms as the two looked at one another with Shame filled eyes.  
“Peter, it was easier for me to think it didn’t mean anything. It was easier for me to think of it as just another thing on my stupid list.” She sobbed and Peter wrapped his arms around her.   
“Shh, it’s ok.” He rubbed her shoulder and kissed her temple. “The list isn’t stupid.” He added.  
“What list?” Steve questioned  
“It’s a bucket list, I list of things I want to do before I…. you know…. Kick the bucket.” Dawn elaborated.   
“What else is on your list?” Steve wondered.   
“Going on a real date.” Dawn told him.  
“Sounds like that’s just the thing you two need.” Steve suggested and the two teenagers looked at each other.  
“I’m game if you are.” Peter said.  
“I’m so game.” She smiled. “And I swear this isn’t just an item on the list, it’s so much more than that.”


End file.
